ONE DOWN, 23 TO GO. The Doyle Racing Oldsmobile Riley &
Scott Mk-III completed an uneventful first hour in the 24 Hours
of Le Mans. Lead driver WAYNE TAYLOR quickly settled into a
comfortable and conservative race pace, turning laps between 3:55
and 3:57.

The track temperature today is significantly warmer than the
conditions during qualifying and practice (qualifying sessions
began at 7:00 p.m., as compared to the 3:00 p.m. race start).
The crew is monitoring the tires closely, but has elected not to
change tires through the first and second stops.

Taylor was running in eleventh place until he made his first
scheduled pit stop at 3:33 p.m. The Riley & Scott crew was
refueled, a larger air restrictor was fitted to the radiator
inlet, and the Pirelli tires were inspected but not replaced.

The second routine stop for fuel came at 4:12 p.m. Taylor
remained in the car, which was running 19th and remained on the
lead lap.

"The third stint of my three was very good," said Taylor.
"Our lack of experience at Le Mans showed in the first stint when
we restricted the air to the radiator too much, and the coolant
temperatures ran a little hot. I had to back out of it and let
everyone go until we could make the necessary changes [increasing
the size of radiator air inlet opening] at the first stop. That
brought the temperatures down, and now we're able to run the lap
times we expected. We've run the same Pirelli tires for four
stints now; if we are able to run long stretches without changing
tires, you'll see the race come to us."

PIT STOP STRATEGY is almost certain to play a role in
determining the outcome of the 64th annual 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Americans who are accustomed to watching lightning-quick NASCAR
and Indy Car stops would find the stops at La Sarthe agonizingly
slow. In fact, the slow-motion stops are a product of the unique
rules under which the 24 Hours of Le Mans is contested.

The car must come to a complete stop and the engine turned
off before any work commences. No one may touch the car while it
is being refueled. Only after the fuel nozzle is withdrawn are
the four mechanics permitted to begin working. Since tire
changes dramatically increase the time spent in the pits, it is a
strategic advantage to use the same tires as long as possible.

Each member of the crew wears a brightly colored vest which
designates his function. The four mechanics wear orange; the
scorers wear blue; the crew chief wears red, and the suppliers
wear green armbands. The organizers have assigned a marshal to
every pit; the marshal's job is to ensure that all rules are
obeyed. The penalties for violations are almost as severe as
those imposed during the French Revolution.

One additional crew man can assist the driver in buckling
his safety belts. Kevin Pranger, the WSC engine program manager
at Katech, Inc. (which builds the Motorsport Aurora V8 engines
that power the Doyle Racing Riley & Scott Mk-III) is assigned the
role of "manservant" at Le Mans.